Device for stopping runaway horses.



Patented Oct. 22, IQOI.

lUNITED STATES PATENT Errori.

. HARRY PRATT, OF KENILWORTH, ILLINOIS.

VDEVICE FOR STOPPING RUNAWAY HORSES;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,007, dated octobeaa, 190i.

Aspiration inea July 17, 1961.'

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY PRATT, of Kenilworth, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Stopping Runaway Horses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for stopping runaway horses of that general class embracing a rotative shaft journaled in suitable bearings on the vehicle and adapted to be operatively connected with one of the vehicle-wheels, said shaft being adapted for attachment thereto of the driving-lines or of independent straps which are attached at their forward ends to the bit of the horse, whereby when said shaft is rotated a backward pull is exerted on said lines or straps in a manner to arrest the horse.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view of a vehicle equipped with a device of the character mentioned embodying my improvements, a portion of the body of the vehicle being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionv on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the front part of the lioor of the vehicle-body. Fig. 4t is an enlarged detail illustrating the shaft to which the lines or straps are attached and illustrating also the means for rotating the same from one of the vehiclewheels. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

As shown in the drawings, A designates the vehicle-body; B B, the front Wheels of the vehicle; O, the front axle, on which said Wheels are mounted, and D the front spring, by which the vehicle-body is supported on said axle.

E designates a rotative shaft arranged parallel with and in front of the axleO. Said shaftis j ournaled in the forward ends of bearing-brackets E,extending forwardly from the axle C. Said rotative shaft E is provided at one end thereof with a gear-pinion E2, which meshes with a gear-wheel B', carried by one serai N. 68.589. ci mada.)

of the front wheels B. Said shaft is also provided with two spools E3, which are non-rotatively fixed on the shaft and on which are adapted to be Wound the driving-lines F or independent straps extending backwardly from the bit of the horse, it being understood that the rearward pull by which the horse is checked or arrested may be exerted through the usual driving-lines or independent straps provided for this purpose. Said lines or straps pass backwardly over the dashboard of the vehicle-body and are directed to the windingspools E3 through vertically-arranged flexible and elastic tubes G, which depend from the vehicle-body, one on each side thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. l, the bottom of the vehicle-body being provided in line with said tubes with openings a, Fig. 3, through which the lines or straps pass. Said tubes are made flexible to permit the axle C to turn freely on its central pivot and to assume different angular'positions with relation to the body of the buggy and also to permit the body of the buggy to descend under the weight of a load without interfering with the operation of the device. Preferably the spools Esare inclosed by casings E4, which are provided at their ends with bearing-bosses c, which fit the shaft in a manner to hold the same in proper position on the shaft. Said casings E4 fit loosely on the shaft, so that said shaft turns in the bearing-bosses e thereof.

The shaft E is adapted to be normally disconnected from its driving gear-wheel B', so that in the ordinary use of the buggy the device is out of operation. Means are provided for operatively connecting said shaft with its driving-wheel B When it is desired to bring the device into use, the means herein shown for this purpose being made as follows: Said gear-pinion E2 is non-rotatively affixed on the shaft E, but is connected therewith in such manner as to slide endwise of the shaft. For

this purpose said shaft is provided with a spline or key c', which fits within and has sliding engagement with a groove in the hub E5 of the gear-pinion in the manner shown in Fig. 5. iniiuence of a spiral contraotible spring E6, which surrounds the shaft E and is attached at one end to the hub E5 and at its other end to a fixed collar e2 on the shaft. The spring Said pinion E2 is placed under the roo E6 tends to hold the pinion E2 normally out of engagement with the gear-wheel I3 on the,

`ends to a forwardly and upwardly projecting bracket l-I, attached to the axle C. Said lever is bifurcated at its lower end, the arms h thereof passing on opposite sides of the hub 5 of the gear-pinion and being pivoted to oppositely-extending studs or pins 7L on said hub. I designates a cord or cable which ,is attached at one end to the upper end of said lever H and at its other end to a vertically oscillatory lever J, which is pivoted between its ends to the frame of the body A in the manner shown in Fig. l. The cord or cable I passes, between said levers II and J, about a guide-pulley K, which is journaled at the outer end of a bracket K', attached to the lower part of the spring D and extending forwardly therefrom in the manner shown in Figs. l and 2. The end of the leverJ remote from the end to which the cord or cable I is attached is adapted to project upwardly through an opening in the bottom of the vehicle-body when said lever is swung on its pivot in a manner to release the tension on the cable I, and thereby permit the spring EG to throw the gear-pinion E2 out of engagement with the gear-wheel B. In other words, in the inoperative position of the parts said lever J projects upwardly through the opening in the bottom of the vehicle-body and is in position to be engaged by the foot of a person seated in tho vehicle to throw the same into its operative position. The device is adapted to be locked in its operative position by means of a sliding plate L, (shown in Figs. l and 3,)

which fits over and closes the opening in the bottom of the vehicle-body. he plate is held or confined by means of lugs a', Fig. 3, attached to the bottom of the vehicle-body and bent or folded over the side margins of the plate. Said plate when closed prevents the free end of the lever J from passing upwardly or projecting through said opening, and therefore holds said lever in position to lock the gear-pinion E2 through the cord or cable I and lever I-I in engagement with the gear-wheel B. Said parts will remain in the positions mentioned and illustrated in Fig. l until intentionally released by sliding the plate L from over the opening in the vehiclebody. Vthen said plate is slid backwardly, the spring E6 moves the gear-pinion E2 out of engagement with the gear-wheel B', the upper end of the lever II by this movement swinging outwardly and through the cord swinging the lcvor J to a vertical position,

with the upper end thereof projecting through the opening :in the vehicle-body.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the device is to be set in position for operation, the lever J is swung downwardly into the position shown in Fig. l, and the plate L is slid over the opening in the bottom of the vehicle-body and prevents the upper end of the lever from rising. These movements of the lever and plate may be effected bythe foot of the person occupying the vehicle. Said lever J acts through the cord I to throw the lower end of the lever I-I and the gearpinion E2 outwardly to engage the latter with the gear-wheel B'. The parts are now in position to rotate the shaft E rearwardly when the vehicle is moved forwardly, and when this occurs the lines or straps F, which have been previously attached to the spools E3,are wound upon said spools and exert a rearward pull on the lines or straps in a manner to check the horse. When the parts are to be thrown out of use the plate L is slid backwardly to permit the lever J to be swung into its vertical position, the spring EG causing the parts to resume their inoperative positions.

Itis obvious that changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be restricted to such details except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims. For instance, the shaft E may be placed at the rear of the axle and the guidetubes G in rear of the springs without altering the operation of the device.

I claim as my inventionl. A device for the purpose stated comprising, in combination with a vehicle, a shaft journaled in bearings attached to the axle of said vehicle, mechanism for imparting rotation to said shaft from one of the vehiclewheels, said shaft being normally disconnected from said wheel,means for operatively connecting the shaft with the wheel comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the vehicle-body, one end of which is adapted to project through an opening in said body, a sliding plate adapted to cover said opening, said plate, when in its open position, permitting the lever to project through said opening into the vehiclebody and when closed engaging the end of said lever in a manner to depress Vthe same and therethrough to operatively connect the shaft with said vehicle-wheel and means for att-aching the lines or straps to said shaft.

2. A device for the purpose stated comprising, in combination with a vehicle, a shaft journaled in bearings attached to the front axle of said vehicle,a gear-pinion on the shaft, a gear-wheel on one of the vehicle-wheels intermeshing with said pinion, said pinion being non-rotative, but endwise movable, on the shaft, a spring which normally holds the pinion out of engagement with the gear-wheel, and means for moving said pinion into intermeshing engagement with said gear-wheel against the action of said spring, comprising IOU IOS

IIO

a lever pivotally mounted on the front end of the vehicle-body, one end of which is adapted to project through an opening in the body and the other end of which is operatively connected with said pinion, a sliding plate adapted to cover said opening, said plate, when in its open position, permitting the lever to project through the opening into the vehicle-body and when closed engaging the end of the lever in a manner to depress the same, and through the connections described to hold said gearwheel and pinion in intermeshing engagement, and means for attaching the lines or straps to said shaft.

3. A device for the purpose stated comprising, in combination with a vehicle-body, a shaft journaled in bearings attached to the front axle of the vehicle, a gear-pinion on the shaft, a gear wheel on one of the vehiclewheels, a spring which normally holds the pinion out of engagement with the gear-wheel, and means for moving said pinion into intermeshing engagement with said gear-wheel against the action of said spring comprising a cord or cable operatively connected at its outer end with mechanism for actuating said gear-pinion, said cable extending inwardly along the axle to a point near the vertical axis on which it turns andV then upward to the vehicle-body, a guidepulley for said cord carried by said front axle, an actuating-lever pivoted to the front of the vehicle-body and connected with the upper end of said cable, and means for attaching the lines or straps to said shaft.

4. A device forthe purpose stated comprising, in combination with a vehicle-body, a shaft journaled in bearings attached to the axle of the vehicle, a gear-pinion on the shaft, a gear-wheel on one of the vehicle-Whse s intermeshing with said pinion, said pinion being non-rotative, but endwise movable, on the shaft, a spring which normally holds the pinion out of engagement with the gear-wheel, means for moving said pinion into intermeshing engagement with said gear-wheel against the action of said spring comprising a vertically oscillatory lever on the vehicle-body, one end of which projects through an opening in the body and the other end of which is operatively connected with said pinion, a sliding plate adapted to cover said opening to prevent the free end of said lever projecting therethrough, two spools non-rotatively xed on 1the shaft on which the lines or straps 5 5 ing, in combination with a vehicle, a'shaft j ournaled in bearings attached to the vehicleaxle, a gear-pinion on the shaft, a gear-pinion on one of the vehicle-wheels intermeshing with said pinion, said pinion being non-rotative, but endwise movable, on the shaft, a spring which normally holds the pinion out of engagement with the gear-wheel, means for moving said pinion into intermeshing engagement with the gear-wheel against the action of said spring, comprising a vertically oscillatory lever on the vehicle-body, one end of which projects through an opening in the body and the other end of which is operatively connected with said pinion, a sliding plate adapted to cover said opening and to prevent the free end of said lever projecting therethrough, two spools non-rotatively fixed on said shaft on which spools the lines or straps are adapted to be Wound, casings surrounding said spools in which said shaft rotates, and two flexible guide-tubes depending from said vehicle-body,said guide-tubes being connected at their lower ends with said casings and communicating at their upper ends with openings at the bottom of the vehicle-body.

6. A device for the purpose stated comprising, in combination with a vehicle, a shaft j onrnaled in bearings attached to the vehicleaxle and adapted to be operatively connected with one of the vehicle-wheels to be rotated thereby, means for attaching the lines or straps to said axle, and two flexible guidetubes depending from the vehicle-body to guide the lines to said axle, said tubes oommunicatin g at their upper ends with openings in the bottom of the vehicle-body.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 15th day of July, A. D. 1901.

HARRY PRATT.

Witnesses:

MARY E. PRATT, WILLIAM L. HALL.

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